IOM Iraq Mission Overview | 2015

Over 3.3 million Iraqis have been displaced due to conflict since early 2014; IOM Iraq has responded by scaling-up operations to meet the needs of Iraq’s most vulnerable displaced persons. In coordination with the Iraqi government, donors and UN agencies, IOM Iraq delivered life-saving aid to more than one million people across all of Iraq’s 18 governorates in 2015.

Since beginning operations in 2003, IOM Iraq has built a strong network of staff, offices and logistics; the mission is in position to respond quickly and effectively to the current displacement crisis. The more than 800 staff based in Baghdad, Erbil, Basra and numerous satellite offices are dedicated to improving the conditions of the displaced. With a presence on the ground in all governorates, IOM staff has been on the front lines of the humanitarian response to this unprecedented crisis in Iraq.

Relying on information from local authorities and field staff, the IOM Iraq Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) identifies the location of displaced populations, and IOM Rapid Assessment and Response Teams (RARTs) evaluate their needs.

IOM Iraq provides a range of emergency response services: shelter, livelihoods, primary health care and psychosocial services, to help displaced persons regain dignity and improve their living conditions. IOM Iraq also provides technical cooperation, including government capacity building on migration issues.

As a member of the United Nations Country Team (UNCT) for Iraq, IOM works closely with the UN system and with Iraqi authorities in support of the Iraqi National Development Strategy and the United Nations Development Assistance Framework. As an active partner of the UNCT Humanitarian Response Plan, IOM has been coordinating emergency response actions across multiple project areas with government authorities, partner UN agencies and NGOs.